Party Time, Mt. Tom's style.

This is Joe's birthday party. He chose to have it at Mt. Tom's. We host parties here just about once a week. They're generally pretty cool. A bunch of happy kids in swanky paper ice cream hats (ala. the same hats my Dad had me and my cub scout buddies wear when he gave us tours of his ice cream factory at HoJo's quite a few moons ago) watching me make a batch of ice cream. Depending on the group's attention span, which is directly correlated with their ages, how many parents stayed for the party, and how much of their goodie bag they had already consumed, they either listen intently to my ice cream making lesson, or they don't. This particular group was in the 10 year old range and very sugared up by lesson time, so needless to say, they were quite happy to entertain themselves in my ice cream kitchen. Save for a quick second for me to snap this shot.

A party lasts about an hour and a half and creates its own level of chaos in the shop for that space of time. Today, with 15 kids in attendance, the decibel level was likely comparable to an N'Sync concert. Or maybe a more hip reference would be, comparable to a David Archuletta performance on American Idol. The photo below may not look loud, but trust me.


By the way, there's my photo show in the background. Shameless plug.

In any event, as crazy as it can get in here, the parties are a win-win. Kids (and parents) seem to really enjoy them. It's a great way to fill the shop (certainly more important in the off-season). And I hope the kiddos go home with great memories of a birthday party in that cool ice cream/candy store they used to go to when they were ten. I know I remember a lot of my old birthday parties as a youngster. Especially that trip to Battleship Cove . For a dorky ten year old boy, that place rocked. But I digress.

Today's party went off without a hitch, and it seemed a good sugar-high time was had by all.

I must admit, though, that calm quiet right after everyone leaves is pretty sweet. I'm guessing it's that time, as a parent, right after you put the kids to bed, and you switch on the game or a crack a good book and a sweet Port.

I invite you and your birthday kiddos to party at my place anytime. Except 6-10pm, of course.